BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to a pressure sensitive marking device for marking
a surface to be aligned. More specifically the present invention relates to a new
form of marking material for use in making dental prostheses, marking machine parts
which require adjustment to provide a close fit or marking virtually any surface which
may need to be closely fitted to another surface. More particularly, and according
to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention relates
to dental articulation paper for marking opposing teeth which permits the dental technician
to make an accurate alignment of a dental patient's bite.
[0002] It has been found that conventional dental articulation papers are cumbersome to
use in that they require the dental technician to insert the paper, make the impression,
remove the paper and grind away the marked dental material to insure a correct bite
alignment. Moreover, traditional dental articulation papers typically do not provide
a marking medium which will make multiple impressions of the opposing teeth without
removing the articulation paper.
[0003] When making a dental prosthesis, a dental technician will cast the patient's teeth
mold by taking a mandibular and maxillary impression of the patient's mouth. These
molds are then used to fashion the dental prosthesis in such a manner as to insure
that the dental prosthesis will comfortably conform to the patient's mouth. A primary
purpose of dental articulation paper is to mark any high spots in the dental prosthesis
so that these high spots may be ground to conform with the opposing teeth, thereby
making the patient's bite more comfortable and efficacious. It is important, therefore,
to provide a dental articulation paper which is capable of repeatedly marking the
opposing teeth, thereby permitting the dental professional to simultaneously work
on the grind down of any high spots on the prosthesis while continuously checking
for proper bite alignment between the dental prosthesis and opposing teeth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a marking material
which will provide an image of a pressure creating surface on any opposing surface.
[0005] It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a marking material
which permits the adjustment or alignment of opposing surfaces.
[0006] It is another more specific object of the present invention to provide a marking
material for marking the alignment of machinery, carpentry, dental or other surfaces
where close alignment of opposing surfaces is required.
[0007] It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a dental articulation
paper which will repeatedly and reproducibly mark the dental prosthesis.
[0008] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dental articulation
paper which will make continuous impressions without needs for repositioning the paper
in the teeth molds.
[0009] It has been found in accordance with the invention that a dental technician may be
more efficient in making dental prosthesis where the dental articulation paper is
adhesively disposed on the teeth opposing the dental prosthesis so that the technician
may continuously and repeatedly make an impression on the prosthesis and grind the
prosthesis to conform to the opposing teeth.
[0010] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will
be more apparent from the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment
of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011]
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a marking material according to the present invention,
in the form of dental articulation paper in position in a dental mold showing maxillary
and mandibular teeth molds in phantom.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the marking material according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] With reference to accompanying Figures 1 and 2 reference numeral 12 refers to a marking
material for marking a contact surface of an opposing surface. As illustrated in application
with reference to Figure 1, there is shown a dental articulating paper. The purpose
of dental articulation paper is to permit a dentist or dental technician to determine
whether any portion of the contact surface of a tooth or dental prosthesis is non-conforming
to the contact surface of the opposing teeth. Dental articulation paper typically
consists of a pressure sensitive marking medium such as carbon, ink or the like. In
use, and with particular reference to Figure 1, dental articulation paper 12 is inserted
in teeth mold 10 which consists of upper 14 and lower 16 teeth molds, which carry
a maxillary mold impression 19 and mandibular mold impression 18 of the patient's
teeth or prosthesis. The upper teeth mold 14 is then lowered onto the lower teeth
mold 16 simulating a patient's natural bite. The pressure exerted between the two
molds causes contact between the opposing teeth. If any high spots exist on the contact
surface of the teeth, these high spots will contact the opposing teeth before the
remaining teeth and cause an unnatural and uncomfortable bite. By inserting the dental
articulation paper between the dental prosthesis or the maxillary and mandibular teeth
molds, it is possible to mark the high spots on the contact surface of the dental
prosthesis or teeth with the pressure sensitive marking medium. Once marked, the high
spots, as identified by the marking medium transferred to the dental prosthesis, are
then ground down by the dentist or dental technician, and the bite rechecked with
the articulation paper. This process is repeated until the bite simulates the patient's
natural bite without any high spots on the contact surfaces.
[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and with reference
to Figure 2, there is disclosed a marking material 12 having a multi-plied structure.
Generally, the marking material of the present invention comprises four adjacent layers
including a support layer 24 having a pressure sensitive marking medium 26 disposed
on an outer surface thereof. The support layer 24 may consist of a suitable thin plastic
or paper material. Preferably, support layer 24 consists of a thin plastic material
such as of mylar or an acetate material. Pressure sensitive marking medium 26 may
consist of any suitable medium such as a carbonaceous material or an ink-like material
capable of transferring a mark at contact positions. Suitable pressure sensitive marking
media include micro-encapsulated inks, multi-strike inks, carbon paper or the like.
Support layer 24 is backed with a releasable adhesive layer 22 suitable for releasably
adhering to dental glass, dental ceramic, plaster, natural teeth or the like. Finally,
release backing 20 is provided as a removable backing for the releasable adhesive
layer 22. The release backing 20 preferably consists of any suitable and commercially
available plasticized paper material which will release from an adhesive backing.
[0014] In operation, the user, such as a dental technician, machinist, carpenter or the
like, will remove release backing 20, adhere marking material 12 to the surface opposing
the contact or pressure creating surface by pressing releasable adhesive layer 22
against the opposing surface. The opposing surfaces are then brought together, such
as by closing teeth mold 10 so that the maxillary teeth mold 19 creates pressure on
mandibular teeth mold 18, thereby causing the pressure sensitive marking medium 26
to transfer a marking onto the opposing surface to be adjusted or aligned, such as
any high spots on a dental prosthesis. Once marking has been made, the user merely
parts the opposing surfaces, or teeth mold 10, grinds away high marked spots, adjusts
or re-aligns the marked portion of the surface, such as a dental prosthesis and repeats
the process until no mark is left by the marking material 12.
[0015] The provision of a marking material 12 having a releasable adhesive backing 22 permits
the user to work faster and more efficiently. With particular reference to the dental
field, the provision of a dental articulation paper 12 having, also, a pressure sensitive
marking medium 26 capable of creating multiple impressions at the same contact point
obviates the need for the dental technician to remove and reposition the articulation
paper, as required by the conventional articulation papers.The dental articulation
paper according to the present invention is suited to being supplied in rolled form.
1. A marking material, comprising:
a support layer having an inner side and an outer side;
marking means for transferring an image onto a surface, said marking means being disposed
on the outer side of the support layer;
adhesive means for removably adhering the marking material to another surface, said
adhesive means disposed on said inner side of said support layer; and
releasable backing means covering said adhesive means.
2. The marking material according to Claim 1, wherein the support layer is of a thin
plastic material.
3. The marking material according to Claim 1, wherein said support layer is of a thin
paper material.
4. The marking material according to Claim 2, wherein said support layer is of mylar
material.
5. The marking material according to Claim 2, wherein said support layer is of an
acetate material.
6. The marking material according to Claim 1, wherein said marking means is a layer
of pressure sensitive carbonaceous material.
7. The marking material according to Claim 1, wherein said marking means is a layer
of pressure sensitive ink material.
8. The marking material according to Claim 7, wherein said pressure sensitive ink
material is a micro-encapsulated ink.
9. The marking material according to Claim 1, wherein said releasable backing means
is a plasticized paper material capable of releasing from said adhesive means.